1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to genes of the hop latent virus and methods for detecting said virus.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Infection with the hop latent virus (abbreviated as HLV hereafter) has been reported to widely spread in all hop cultivation areas (Tresh & Ormerod, Rep. E. Malling Res. Stn. for 1968: 41 (1969); Probasco & Skotland, Phytopathology 68: 278 (1978); Adams & Barbara, Ann. appl. Biol., 101: 483 (1982); Inoue et al., Ann. Phytopath. Soc. Japan 39: 229 (1973)).
This HLV is in filamentous shape belonging to the carlavirus group. Neither the gene structure nor the primary structure of the coat protein thereof have been elucidated. Therefore, enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) is employed using the antibody of HLV as the method for selecting virus-free clones of the hop. However, the diagnostic detection of HLV by ELISA has posed various problems such as the reduction in the detection sensitivity depending on the harvest time of samples and the tedious preparation of antibodies.
In view of the above mentioned circumstances, the present invention aims to solve these problems by developing efficient and accurate methods for detecting HLV-infected plants.